Air conditioning units are one of the hardest working appliances in your home. Depending on the time of the year, only your heater and fridge go through all that work. This is why regular maintenance is the key to keeping it in good condition. Cleaning is something that should be done to maximize efficiency when it comes to HVAC.

There are several parts of the AC that will need cleaning. First, there are the filters. These ensure that dirt and dust don’t enter your AC unit, clogging things up. However, this does mean that the filters get dirty quickly. The problem is that when they are dirty, the airflow into your air conditioner gets clogged. This reduces the efficiency of your AC by as much as 15 percent.

Another part that needs cleaning is the coils inside your AC unit. The coils are what cool down the air that your AC unit draws in. They are the evaporator and condenser coils. They accumulate dirt as the air passes through them. This is despite the filter’s best efforts. Both coils will accumulate dirt and this means their performance will suffer.

Finally, there are the drains. When your AC unit is cooling the air, condensation happens and the water is drained away. The drains are there so that your AC unit won’t start leaking on your floor. They lead away to a convenient gutter or outside. However, the condensate can also have bits of dirt in them. With their presence, the drains will start to clog. If not cleaned, they will start to leak.

How Often

The main question asked by many people is how often should HVAC technicians should be called in to clean up your AC unit. The simplest answer is that you should have your AC unit cleaned every year. This is the average cleaning period. A year should be enough of a cushion to allow for the dirt to accumulate so that it can be cleaned in one single cleaning.

However, different parts may require different cleaning schedules. The most frequent one that should be cleaned are the filters. This is because they are exposed to a lot more dirt than the other parts of your air conditioner. The great thing about filters is that they are a lot easier to clean. Depending on the type of your AC unit, they should be easy to pull out and clean.

The trouble is that coils and drains will need professional handling so that you won’t have any problems. The best way to handle these parts is that they should be cleaned at the end of every season. This ensures that the parts are clean and ready to for the coming season.

Overall, ensure that your AC unit is cleaned on a regular basis to maximize performance.